1965

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 * 1965-00-00 - 68 BARKALOW AVENUE, FREEHOLD, NJ**

Sometime between Christmas 1964 and Springsteen's audition for Tex Vinyard he played with a band called The Rogues. This band consisted of Jay Gibson on lead guitar, Craig Caprioni on vocals, Donnie Powell on drums and Jimmy McGuire on bass. McGuire's bass was not plugged in but he was in the band due to the fact he owned an amp. The band practiced in the basement of 68 Barkalow Avenue, Craig Caprioni's house.

No known audio.


 * 1965-00-00 - FREEHOLD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, FREEHOLD, NJ**

TWIST AND SHOUT

The Rogues open for The Chevelles. It is unknown whether this show and the following four are in the correct order.

No known audio.


 * 1965-00-00 - KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No known audio.


 * 1965-00-00 - FREEHOLD ELKS LODGE, FREEHOLD, NJ**

TWIST AND SHOUT

No known audio.


 * 1965-00-00 - PRIVATE PARTY, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No known audio.


 * 1965-00-00 - PRIVATE PARTY, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No known audio.


 * 1965-06-00 - TEX & MARION VINYARD RESIDENCE, 39 CENTER STREET, FREEHOLD, NJ**

Springsteen auditions for Tex Vinyard. It is unclear whether George Theiss was also at this try-out. In an interview Bruce has alluded to the fact that he was.


 * 1965-06-00 - TEX & MARION VINYARD RESIDENCE, 39 CENTER STREET, FREEHOLD, NJ**

TWIST AND SHOUT

After visiting and performing alone for Tex Vinyard a week earlier, Springsteen is invited for a tryout-rehearsal with the four already hired members (George Theiss, Frank Marziotti, Bart Haynes, and Danny Hyland) of 'The Castiles' present. One of the songs Bruce performed was “Twist And Shout”. Everyone is impressed and Springsteen is given the job, thus completing the formal band lineup. They will spend the next 6 weeks or so rehearsing and developing a repertoire before performing publicly. The link above provides a timeline of The Castiles' members from July 1965 to August 1968.


 * 1965-07-00 - TEX & MARION VINYARD RESIDENCE, 39 CENTER STREET, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No set details known. Extensive July rehearsals for The Castiles, held at the Vinyard’s home on Center Street (the since cleared and renovated area is today called ‘Vinyard Park’) As was the case with all these Castiles rehearsals, they took place in the living room of the house. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-07-00 - CLEARWATER POOL, MIDDLETOWN, NJ**

No set details known. Steven Van Zandt had formed his first, but short-lived, band The Whirlwinds in late summer of 1964 (see listing under June 13, 1964 ). During late June, July and August 1965 Van Zandt’s recently formed band, The Mates, landed a residency playing every Friday night from 7pm - 11:30pm at the Clearwater Pool Lounge on Rte 36 in Middletown. Although information is very sketchy, it’s believed it was at some point during this summer residency that Springsteen came to listen to the band and first met and jammed with Van Zandt (who was a year younger and one grade behind Bruce in school).


 * 1965-08-00 - WOODHAVEN SWIM CLUB, FREEHOLD, NJ**

IN THE MOOD

No further set details known. One evening show, featuring the The Castiles in their first-ever verified public performance. Although the exact date is uncertain it is believed this took place in mid-August. The Woodhaven Swim Club was located on East Freehold Road - it later became the home of the local YMCA. According to 1970s comments by Castiles manager Tex Vinyard the group received a whopping total of $35 for the show. The show closed with a rock arrangement of The Glenn Miller Orchestra's “In The Mood”. Click the link above to view the first known photo of Springsteen on stage at the Woodhaven Swim Club. By the time of this show original member Danny Hyland (harmonica, tambourine and vocals) had been replaced by Richie Goldstein. Richie would play tambourine and an Epiphone rhythm guitar that he called a "blue ep". Brucebase would like to hear from Danny Hyland.


 * 1965-08-00 - BLUE MOON PIZZA RESTAURANT, FREEWOOD ACRES, NJ**

No set details known. The Castiles perform at a local pizzeria. George Theiss has recalled this as one of the group’s very first gigs. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-08-00 - ST. ROSE OF LIMA SCHOOL, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No set details known. The Castiles perform at Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) dance held at Springsteen’s Elementary Junior High School, where he had graduated in May 1963. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-09-00 - ST. ROSE OF LIMA SCHOOL, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No set details known. The Castiles perform at yet another Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) dance held at the school. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-09-00 - ANGLE INN MOBILE HOME PARK, FARMINGDALE, NJ**

YOU TURN ME ON / TWIST AND SHOUT

No further set details known. One show, double bill, with The Castiles headlining and an unidentified local country music band led by a young female vocalist of about six or seven opening. Springsteen mentioned this gig during an interview in Europe in 1975, commenting…“I remember starting at noon and we played until like 8 or 9 pm, when we had to stop. That was one of the first gigs I ever did”. This was further verified by George Theiss. In his 2016 autobiography //Born To Run//, Springsteen described this as The Castiles' first gig. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-09-00 - FREEHOLD ELKS LODGE, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No set details known. One show, with The Castiles playing at a teen dance. There were two different, independent, Elks Chapters in Freehold at the time; one on Main Street and the other on Throckmorton Street. This dance took place at the Main Street location. The Castiles never performed at the Elks (Conley) Lodge on Throckmorton Street. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-10-00 - FORT MONMOUTH TEEN CLUB, FORT MONMOUTH, NJ**

No set details known. One show, with The Castiles the sole act on the bill. A teen dance held for the kids of stationed soldiers, held in a Recreation Hall within the sprawling Fort Monmouth base complex. According to Castiles manager Tex Vinyard it was following this show that two kids in attendance gave Springsteen some partially-written lyrics. Bruce then expanded and shaped these into the song "Sidewalk", one of his earliest creations. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-10-08 - I.B. CLUB, HOWELL, NJ**

No set details known. One show, double billing, with The Castiles opening for New York-based outfit The Florescents. Bruce and the band had started out by performing at obscure, private functions in Freehold. This was quite possibly Bruce and the band’s first publicly advertised nightclub appearance. Organized by shore area musician/promoter Norman Seldin, and part of a series of shows at this venue, featuring bands such as The Motifs, The Kingsmen and Johnny Thunder. Final show for Castiles member Richie Goldstein who leaves the band on this date. He is replaced by Paul Popkin. The exact reasons for Goldstein's departure from the band are unknown, but there is some doubt over his commitment. At this point the band consists of George Theiss (guitar and vocals), Bruce Springsteen (guitar and vocals), Frank Marziotti (bass), Paul Popkin (vocals and tambourine) and Bart Haynes (drums).


 * 1965-10-00 - RECEPTION HALL, MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ**

MOONGLOW

IF YOU NEED ME / I UNDERSTAND (JUST HOW YOU FEEL) / GOOD TIMES, BAD TIMES / SUMMERTIME / SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY / NEVER ON SUNDAY / SIDEWALK / unidentified title / IN THE MOOD / TIRED OF WAITING FOR YOU / 500 MILES / (I CAN'T GET NO) SATISFACTION / WIPE OUT / STRANGER ON THE SHORE / WHAT’D I SAY / MOON RIVER / YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN' / WALK, DON’T RUN / WHAT’S YOUR NAME / TILL THERE WAS YOU / THE LAST TIME / FOR YOUR LOVE / unidentified title / I GOT YOU BABE / THE THIRD MAN THEME / IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT / MONEY (THAT'S WHAT I WANT) / PLAY WITH FIRE / TELL ME

One show, with The Castiles the sole act on the bill. The above-mentioned 27 song titles (plus two titles that are illegible) have been culled from a surviving inventory/setlist document (click the link above to see the image) that was originally in the possession of a member of The Castiles. This list is believed to have emanated from a wedding reception the band performed in the autumn of 1965. With the exception of “Sidewalk” (co-written by Bruce) all of the songs are covers of other artist’s material, with the most recently released song at the time being Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe” (July 1965). The setlist includes numerous 1964-1965 'British Invasion' hits by the Stones, Yardbirds, Kinks, Zombies and Beatles - a clear indication of the kind of music the band was playing at teen gigs. The high proportion of 1950s ballad material in this particular show (sung by George Theiss, not Bruce) is likely the result of it being a wedding, with manager Tex Vinyard making sure his boys also catered to the older relatives in attendance. These include the G-Clefs’ “I Understand”, Acker Bilk’s “Stranger On The Shore”, Don & Juan’s “What’s Your Name” and Anton Karas’ “The Third Man Theme”. THERE IS NO CIRCULATING AUDIO OF ANY OF THIS PERFORMANCE. Frank Marziotti has recalled the bride's choice of song was the jazz standard "Moonglow".

At some point in October 1965 the band would pose for a series of photographs taken at various sites in Freehold, including the Battle Of Monmouth Monument and Veterans Point. Click the link above to view some of these photographs.


 * 1965-10-00 - MARLBORO STATE HOSPITAL, MARLBORO, NJ**

WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE

No further set details known. The Castiles perform for patients at this local psychiatric hospital. Springsteen has briefly mentioned this early Castiles gig a couple of times over the years, once commenting: “This guy in a suit got up and introduced us for twenty minutes, saying we were greater than The Beatles, then the doctors came up and took him away”. George Theiss has also recalled/verified this gig to Brucebase, commenting: “there was a woman who was trying to seduce everyone and some guy was running around screaming “Banzai!”, “Banzai!”.

On 30th October 1965 drummer Bart Haynes unexpectedly quit the band. He was replaced by Vince Manniello. Haynes (who was a year older than Springsteen) graduated high school in June 1966, joined the U.S. Marines Corps in October 1966, was sent to Vietnam in April 1967 and was killed in action in October 1967.


 * 1965-11-13 - HAZLET FIREHOUSE, HAZLET, NJ**

No set details known. One show, with The Castiles the sole act on the bill.


 * 1965-11-00 - SHOPRITE OF FREEHOLD, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No set details known. One daytime, outdoor show, with The Castiles the sole act on the bill and performing at the ‘Grand Opening’ of the regional food chain’s Freehold supermarket. The band performed in the store’s parking lot. As of fall 2007 this ShopRite store is still located at the same location (Corner of Route 9 and South Street) as it was the day The Castiles played there. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-11-00 - ST. ROSE OF LIMA SCHOOL, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No set details known. The Castiles perform at yet another Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) dance held at the school. include component="page" page="content_help_us" wrap="1"


 * 1965-12-00 - V.F.W. HALL, FREEHOLD, NJ**

No set details known. One show, with The Castiles performing at a teen dance in the rented VFW Hall.


 * 1965-12-30 - ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL, KEYPORT, NJ**

No set details known. One show, a CYO-sponsored 'battle-of-the bands' event held in the school auditorium, with 16 groups competing for a $200 First Prize and the right to be crowned 'Best Teenage Band of 1965' in the area. A crowd of over 1,200 watched the contest and the winner was chosen by three people working in the music industry, including a representative of Brian Epstein. Each band played a couple of songs. The 1st Place winner was Red Bank-based 'The Clique', with Long Branch-based 'The Inmates' in 2nd place and Keyport-based 'The Cascades' coming in 3rd. Also on the bill were 'The Rising Suns (whose line-up included future Castiles organist Bobby Alfano).

It was long-thought that The Castiles played at this show; Emile Talarico, drummer and co-vocalist for The Clique, has jokingly commented "That’s my claim to fame. We beat Bruce Springsteen in a battle of the bands”. However, new evidence, taken from the Red Bank Register, suggests that The Castiles never took part in this Battle of the Bands. The obvious explanation for the confusion is that they have been mixed up with similarly-named The Cascades.

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